If All the Flowers Faded Away-Sequel to My Heart is Stone
by Donotforgetmyname24601
Summary: Javert/Eponine/Marius- A sequel to "My Heart is Stone and Still it Trembles" Eponine and Marius have been married for five and a half months and, returning from their honeymoon, announce that Eponine is pregnant. Shortly after giving birth, Eponine becomes ill and so it is left to Marius and Javert to look after the new born baby...
1. And if Loving Her is Heartache for Me

**Hey my Lovely's! It's been a while and I've been a bit busy with my school work, but I have managed to complete the first chapter. This is going to be longer than the previous fanfic but I hope people like it as much! I cannot thank you all enough for the feedback on the last story and I wish I could reply thank you's to you all! :D This was inspired by the song "She is the Sunlight" by Trading Yesterday, I love that song so much and it was perfect for this so...**

**Enjoy and review! x**

**All characters (except new ones) and the story Les Miserables belongs to Victor Hugo.**

* * *

It had been 5 months since Eponine and Marius had married and Javert had had little to no contact with them over the period that they were away on their honeymoon. Though, Javert had not failed to send her continuous letters. England had been their choice for a honeymoon and, quoting one of the few letters from Eponine to her father it "rains continuously, only a few days is it close to bright, although, Marius and I are having the most marvellous time. The inn we are lodging at is the grandest I have stayed in. Marius says we are to stay for another month or so."

The months seemed to drag for Javert. He had nothing to occupy himself with now that he had learned from Eponine that Valjean had been killed at the barricades. He had attended his funeral and was rather distressed at the fact that Valjean should be buried alongside his own daughter, though he still felt no pity as they lowered him into the ground. No one had come except Javert, as he was considered nothing more than a beggar to society after he had taken into hiding from the law. Javert had only come to see him put into the ground, easing his mind from all of those years that he had chased after him. Finally it was over.

He had not visited Eponine for the simple reason that he thought he should interrupt the flow of married life. He decided to let them get used to each other's company before he got involved. He reminded himself that it would not be long before that ignorant boy would hurt her in some way. Marius was no doubt able to look after Eponine since his grandfather, Gillenormand, had died rather recently and left Marius and his new wife the whole of his property and money. Though, Javert wondered what he had done with this money. A young man with a pocket full of life savings was typical to spend it quickly and stupidly.

"I can't understand why she hasn't written," Javert had confided in Officer Moreau, who had become a sort of 'friend' to Javert while he had brought up Eponine. "It's not like her."

Moreau simply smiled and replied "Do you know a young couple who would contact their parents on their honeymoon? They'll be busy with other… things." Javert looked up and glared at Moreau, who had a smirk set on his lips. Of course he knew what was involved between married couples, but he had never thought of Eponine being like that. Javert tried to put it out of his mind as he carried on with his work.

* * *

_England_

_"It's raining again." Eponine looks out of the window miserably as the rain pelts against the large window. _

_"So it is," Marius wraps his arms around his wife's waist and nuzzles into her neck. "Maybe we should sleep in, until the clouds pass?" Marius smiles as Eponine turns and starts to giggle. She follows Marius to the bedroom. She laughs as he grabs hold of her and slams the door, carries her to the bed and lets her drop to the soft bed. Marius joins her and she smiles as she feels the familiar weight of him on top of her. He looks into her eyes as he gently tucks a stray hair behind her ear. "I love you." He mouths. _

_"I love you too."_

_And it rains, and rain, and rains._

* * *

Javert could not be happier. Eponine and Marius had returned from England the day before and were due to stay in his home for a week. Giving Amaline orders on room preparations, Javert almost forgot that they would need a double bed. He told her to make up the other guest room, big enough for two. Javert watched as her childhood bedroom gathered dust and the musical boxes became untouched, the curtains never drawn and the bed always made. For the first time, Javert felt lonely.

"Papa," Eponine called out as Amaline let the couple in the front door, saving them from the cold wind. "Papa, we're here!"

Javert rushed into the room and swept Eponine's feet from the floor and they both laughed as he whirled her around. He set her down and looked over at Marius, who awkwardly held out his hand. Javert stepped forward and took it, shaking it gently before nodding his head and giving a faint smile. It was a way of saying thank you, the reason being that Eponine was happy and healthy and was obviously under no stress or depression.

After they had unpacked their things, they joined for dinner and talked about everything that they had done during those five and a half months in England.

"The theatre was the most interesting thing I have been to! It is certainly not as grand as the ones in France, but they were entertaining all the same!" They all smiled and then there was a silence. They all stared at their plates awkwardly, both Javert and Eponine searching desperately through their mind for something to say.

Javert looked up sometimes, and it would intrigue him to see that Eponine and Marius would stare at each other for a few seconds, and was sure he saw them nod before they saw him looking and went back to eating.

_What could Eponine possibly be worrying about? _ Javert thought to himself as he raised the fork to his lips and looked at the anxious Eponine as she bit her pink lower lip. He then looked at Marius, who equally looked as fear stricken. He ruled out the possibility of Eponine hiding something to do with Marius, as the boy looked just as nervous.

He then concluded that they had something to tell him. Too long had Javert looked upon the faces of guilty convicts to not know what was going on. He decided to wait until Amaline had hobbled in and cleared the table, and they had retired to the living room, before simply asking them outright. "What's going on?" Javert sighed as he took a sip of whiskey and stared into the fire, waiting for them to answer. When there came no reply, Javert raised his voice a little. "Eponine, tell me."

Eponine fidgeted before she grasped hold of Marius' hand and pulled him up with her. Javert sat back and waited before Eponine breathed and said cautiously "Papa…I'm pregnant."

Javert felt as though someone had thrown him fifty feet into the air and he had landed on his chest. He struggled to speak as he gathered the air back into his lungs. Gently raising the whiskey glass to his lips again, Javert drank the rest of the whiskey, put the glass on the table, stood and walked over to the terrified couple. Marius flinched as Javert stared down at him, his cold blue eyes sending a shiver down his spine. Gripping Eponine's clammy hand, Marius looked down to see that Javert had slowly raised his hand to Marius, outstretched. Marius slowly accepted it and smiled slightly as Javert shook it and moved onto his daughter, to whom he gave a hug that could only be described as awkward.

Then, he stormed out of the room and slammed the door, leaving Marius and Eponine rather confused, as he reached for his heavy black coat and paced out of the front door and down the dimly lit streets.


	2. She is the Healing

**Hello my loyal rebels!I'm so sorry for keeping you all waiting so long. I went to see Les Mis for the first time in London this weekend and I was blown away. I hadn't seen the stage version because I didn't want to spoil it for myself and I have to admit, I'm liking the stage version a little more than the film. The film made me sad, but the stage version made me cry. Just Enjolras' body on that barricade and Gavroche's death and... *sigh* Little Cosette was so small. I think she was younger than eight and she wasn't there at the end so she must have gone home to go to sleep. :) Javert got the biggest clap for "Stars". He hadn't even finished and people were clapping. God everyone was amazing.**

**But anyway, I'm getting carried away. I was listening to "Good Morning" from "Singing in the Rain" while typing this so I had the weirdest fantasy of Russell Crowe, Samantha Barks and Eddie Redmayne doing the musical number *imagines all three tap dancing together and starts to laugh hysterically* **

**Enjoy. This was a little shorter than I wanted it to be, but I knew I couldn't leave you guys waiting much longer. You don't deserve to be kept waiting. I'm trying so hard to keep on top of it all. Review my lovelies :) x**

* * *

Javert didn't look back as he ducked his head down and trudged down the Parisian streets, his cold eyes staring only at the wet pavement, the streaks of light from the street blinding his vision for a few seconds, then his eyes adjusted again to the darkness. The only sound that could be heard was the crunch of his shoes against the pavement and his heavy breathing. Javert blocked all of the thoughts of what had just happened out of his mind and trudged on until he reached where he had planned to go. The Seine River.

He wasn't sure why he had walked all the way here. Jumping wouldn't help anyone. What would be the reason for it, because Eponine was pregnant? Javert was not foolish enough to end his life because he was to become a grandfather. Grandfather. Javert went over this word in his mind until it didn't seem to even be a word anymore. Grandfathers were always sat in an armchair by the fire and let children sit on his knee while he smoked a pipe and read them stories. Javert did none of these things. Although now fifty two, Javert was still the most feared inspector in Paris. He lived at his desk and drowned himself in convict papers, not story books. He had forced himself to get through a few fairy stories as Eponine was a child, but Javert thought that he should be violently sick if he had to put up with another picture of a glowing cherub or dainty little women sat on toadstools and other such nonsense.

Javert sighed as he looked over the edge of the bridge. The water moved peacefully in miniature waves and made a satisfying noise as the lapped over one another. Javert closed his eyes and remembered the time he had brought Eponine here when she was eight.

_"Don't let me fall!" Eponine squealed, gripping onto her father's arm. As Javert looked into those fear-stricken hazel eyes, he didn't have the heart to pretend to let go of her and decided to just do as she asked of him. _

_"It was your idea, anyway!" Javert smiled as she gulped guiltily and gripped tightly onto his jacket. Her feet stumbled and hesitated slightly as she put one in front of each other, her free arm waving about violently as she tried to balance on the narrow ledge. Javert watched as the sunlight was covered by her head, her dark ringlets blowing in the fierce wind, purple skirts fluttering behind her and the rose pink ribbon at the back of her head crinkling and intertwining with each other. Her thick lashes beat furiously, like butterfly wings, her thin eyebrows furrowed, and her tongue peeking out from her pink little lips in concentration. _

_Hastily taking the last step, Javert lifted her before she could cry out and whirled her around, making her squeal in excitement. Laughing, Javert put her down and she dragged him along to race him towards the end on the bridge, not even glancing at the thugs that were eyeing them up and down, which Javert had spotted instantly. It was Thenardier._

_It is true when they say that innocence is bliss._

* * *

"What if he never comes back? What if he's hurt or…or worse…" Eponine erupted into fresh tears and Amaline hurried over with another cup of tea. Marius sat beside her and constantly made little circles in her back with his index finger. "Love, it's not healthy for you to be so upset. Rest, I'm sure he will be back in an hour or so. It must be a lot for him to take in."

Eponine looked up and smiled, thankful for Marius' calming words and gentle caresses. Taking up his hand, she kissed it gently and collapsed against his chest, Marius stroking her long dark locks. "Don't worry Eponine. He will be home soon. What father is ecstatic about his daughter growing up and losing all of the innocence she has ever had? "

"Mmm." Eponine sounded unsure as she rubbed her stomach with the tips of her fingers.

The door slammed. Eponine stood up first and almost knocked Amaline over, who was carrying another cup of tea. She ran to the hallway with high hopes and, sure enough, there was Javert, standing in his black coat and looking guiltily at Eponine's flushed face. Eponine did not have the courage to step closer, thinking that maybe that he was angry still. Marius joined them, staring at Javert, his fists clenched. Javert paced forward and into the drawing room and both of them followed.

There was silence while Javert went to his drinks cabinet, which he only used in necessary situations, as Eponine had observed, and poured himself a glass of whiskey. He downed it in one huge gulp. He breathed, turned to the couple and simply said: "So, have you thought of any names?"

* * *

"Eponine, please tell me I raised you better than for you to call your own child _Pleasance_?"

"And not Mignonette!" Marius added to Javert's tease.

"Will you two stop making fun of me? I think they're very nice names. Very elegant too."

"And what if it's a boy?" Javert declared "Shall you name him after Louis Philippe himself?" They all laughed as Eponine rubbed her stomach lovingly. Javert now realised that Eponine was further on in her pregnancy that he thought. Her stomach stuck out from under her silk skirts rather alarmingly, though she could not be more than six months. Though he thanked God that Eponine had had the sense to cover it up with her shawl earlier that evening, instead of just presenting him with the news outright.

* * *

Eponine gently patted Marius' back as they lay under the covers, the softness of the nightwear and the bed sheets comforting Eponine with a nostalgic feeling of laying in her oversized bed in a cotton nightgown. Only, this time, she was led in bed with her husband, and she was with child.

Eponine had woken to a sound that was not strange her. Marius had awoken from one of his nightmares again. It was usually the same one. Marius would be on the barricades again, except there was no one there. They were all dead and he would be walking through their blood on the cold cobbles. He would look up and see Enjolras, his limp body lying where it had fallen, holding the red flag in his lifeless arms. Joly, Combeferre and Courfeyrac lay in their blood, their faces red and fists still grasped hold of a pistol, hair and waistcoats askew. Then Marius would look up and his heart would stop for a few seconds as he saw Grantaire rise in the window, crimson blood running down his face. Enjolras suddenly grabbed hold of the red flag again and struggled to stand, the gaping hole in his chest oozing dark liquid. Joly, Combeferre and Courfeyrac stood too, the pistols swinging beside them. The rest of his friends rose too, staring at him with dead eyes. Marius could hear a drum beat in the distance, and he knew it was not his heart because the beat was slow and sombre and daunting, like a death march. The students walked towards Marius, a few limping and sweating and covered in blood. Enjolras was the first to reach Marius, dragging the crimson flag behind him, pulling it through the rainwater and soaking it in the blood of the dead. "Why, Marius?" Enjolras whimpered "Why are we dead and you are the only one that has lived? What was our sacrifice for?" Grantaire followed close behind, a smashed bottle in his hand. The rest of them crowded around, asking the question over and over again. What disturbed Marius the most was that even little Gavroche had managed to stumble up and started to sob, holding onto his little mimicked flag.

_"Don't ask me what your sacrifice was for!_" Marius screamed. He would wake, finding that he had startled Eponine from sleep and she would immediately grab hold of his shivering, sweaty body and hold him close to her chest and stroke his copper hair, like a mother soothing her child, as he wept and roared until his voice turned hoarse.

The night would end with Marius mumbling their names over and over again into Eponine's chest. Though she knew she should not even think of it, Eponine could not help but worry about if he would be the same way when the baby was born, or whether he would be even worse.


	3. She is the Sunlight

**Hey guys! I'm sorry about being slow with this so I've written a longer chapter more quickly for you. Sorry if it seems rushed though. I need more people to know that there's a sequel! So tell your friends (If they liked the last one) please! :) So many people seemed to enjoy the first one and it would be really cool if I could get those people to read this one! But anyway as always...**

**Enjoy and Review! xxx**

* * *

Eponine woke to the morning sun shining through the gauze curtains and cast a yellow beam over the sheets. She looked up at Marius, his hair tousled and all pain and worry gone from his freckled face. She decided to let him sleep, kissing his cheek softly before quietly lifting the cover s and placing her feet on the burgundy rug on the floor. Holding her swollen stomach, Eponine walked over to the wash basin and cleaned herself before dressing in a simple blue gown and pinning her hair into a lose bun. She crept out of the room to see that the house was empty. Shrugging, Eponine wandered down stairs, her nimble fingers brushing against everything that she had once been too small to reach. She found that Amaline had laid everything out for then and Eponine sat down to eat, reaching for a slice of toast and butter. Once she had finished that, Eponine found herself wanting more. She thought this strange, seeing as she never ate much at breakfast, nor any meal. But, lately, Eponine found herself eating the strangest of combinations. Last week, she was sure that all of the residents in the inn had stared at her in alarm as she spooned whipped cream onto her plate of chicken and vegetables.

Eponine sucked on a spoon, savouring the taste from when she had dipped it into a block of butter, whilst she thought about what else she could eat. She then found herself picking at the juicy strawberries and dipping them into the sugar for the tea. She heard Marius cough from behind her as she finished another strawberry and Eponine smiled guiltily.

"Waited for your husband to sit with you I see."

"Marius," Eponine glared at him as she started on another of the fruit. "I'm four months pregnant and hungry; I'm not going to wait for my husband to wake up." Marius grinned and knelt down beside her, his hands reaching out towards her small bump. Eponine enclosed her hand over his and Marius smiled.

"I'm teasing. Of course you don't have to wait for me. You can go all the way to the other side of the world before I wake up, if that is what the baby desires." He declared softly and raised his head to kiss Eponine. He smiled as he tasted the sticky strawberry and sugar on her red lips. He pulled away gently and brought her into an embrace as he whispered into her ear "How should I live without you, Eponine Pontmercy?"

* * *

"Eponine, you already bought one of those!" Marius whined, his arm drowned in fabrics and shawls and little frilly bonnets.

"But not in sky blue!" Eponine retaliated, picking out another roll of fabric.

"And what if it's a girl?" Marius mumbled, not meaning for Eponine to hear.

"Oh Lord, you're right! I'll get one in mauve as well."

The shopkeeper's eyes widened with excitement and astonishment as Marius slammed the fabrics down on the counter, his face red and arms aching. Eponine beamed as she watched the fabrics being cut into the measurements and rolled up into a parcel. Marius dared not ask the shopkeeper to repeat what the price was, but he handed over the wad of papers and picked up the materials and accessories.

As they walked out into the bustling streets and Marius handed over the packages to the coach driver, who Marius was glad that he had waited outside of the shop, Eponine meanwhile was staring at something, or someone it turned out. Thenardier and his gang stared menacingly at them both, their eyes glittering. Eponine thought she was going to be sick. She had always thought that she would never see Thenardier again. Not since that night.

Grabbing Marius' arm, Eponine hastily jumped into the carriage, nearly tripping over her skirts. "Be careful, Eponine!" He gasped as he reached out and pulled her back. He then realised Eponine was crying. "Eponine, what's wrong?"

"I…I just…just let's get out of here. I want to go!" She pulled on Marius' waistcoat. Marius normally would've told her to calm down and they could walk and talk about it. Or that it was the pregnancy. But there was something in Eponine's voice that Marius' had only heard once or twice in the time of knowing her. It was fear.

Marius immediately helped her back into the carriage and knocking hastily on the little door before he even closed it, commanding the driver to move. He sat in the velvet cushioned bench beside Eponine and held her shivering body while she whimpered into his shoulder. She didn't want to lift her head, in fear that if she did; her father would be sat in to bench opposite them, grinning with his red hair a mess and wide mouth clearly showing his yellow, decaying teeth. She buried her head behind Marius back, the coolness of the seat calming her burning cheeks.

"Eponine? Eponine, come out. You'll suffocate yourself."

Eponine obeyed, hearing the warmth and authority in Marius' calming voice. She gripped Marius' waistcoat and shuffled towards him, like a frightened child. Marius wound his arm around her shoulder and made the small circular motion with his index finger that always seemed to calm Eponine. Finally, she lifted her head slightly and whispered "Marius?"

"Yes, love?"

"Don't let the bad man get me."

Eponine held her breath, waiting for the relief of those calming words she needed to hear. It had been something she had said to Javert nearly every night when she was young and he tucked her into bed, referring to the night that Thenardier had raided their house and knocked Javert unconscious. Although she was now eighteen years old, married and pregnant, Eponine needed the childish comfort. Although she was apprehensive how Marius would react to this request, Eponine exhaled in relief at his answer.

"I won't let him touch you."

* * *

Javert was searching through some papers when the door clicked open. He looked up slightly as Eponine and Marius strolled through the door. Taking a sip of his tea Javert looked up to see Eponine's teary face and Marius' worried expression. Javert stood and opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by Eponine's shaky voice.

"Papa, we must talk with you. It is something important."

Javert nodded calmly and followed them both into the next room. Javert sat uneasily as Marius helped Eponine sit on the sofa. Javert waited patiently until Eponine breathed and came out with the question.

"Papa, why did you take me away from my parents? What does Cosette have to do with all of it?"

Marius looked as equally astonished as Javert. They both turned and looked at Eponine's serious face. Then they looked at each other, Javert's cold blue eyes meeting Marius' which was the exact opposites of his, them being sapphire blue. Marius looked down and grabbed at Eponine's hand. She turned to look at his troubled face.

"Yes, what _does_ Cosette have to do with it? Isn't she that poor girl that saved my life? W-what happened to her body?"

Eponine was a little taken aback by his concern and even felt a little pang of jealousy, though she knew it was childish of her to think of such a thing.

"Her father was killed on the barricades, before he could take her body back. They were given a decent funeral in the cemetery on (something) street."

Eponine turned her head to her father, who had interrupted the conversation. "How do you know that they were buried-"

"Because I paid for it," Javert lifted his head slightly, so that his eyes met Eponine's "I paid for it and attended the funeral. As for your question about Cosette, I was supposed to take her instead of you. Though, that I think you already figured out. The reason I did it was to lure a convict, Jean Valjean into a trap, for he was supposed to collect Cosette as a favour for…someone. He arrived before me and picked her up before I could get there. Your parents tricked me into thinking that you were Cosette and I had no choice but to take you in. I tried to hand you back but your parents threatened to report me for illegally buying you. I planned to send you to an orphanage, or simply hand you over to someone who would take you in." Javert paused and looked up at Eponine again. Tears had filled her dark eyes and her lips trembled with the memory of that time. "Why do you ask?"

Eponine breathed before answering, "I saw him this afternoon, watching Marius and I from a distance."

Javert stayed silent and still for a moment. "He's looking to blackmail me. Let's hope he lets us be… and that he doesn't ask for too much."

Eponine stared at Javert in confusion before asking, "And what would have happened to Cosette, if you had got there before Valjean?" Eponine managed to whisper, wondering whether Cosette could have lived a happy life with Javert as her guardian, wondering whether she could have been sat here now, Marius holding her hand and pregnant with his child.

"I would have taken her to an orphanage, or she would have been taken away by the police after I had caught Valjean. Either way she would have been taken to an orphanage…"

"…And had to live a hard life of misery and despair, just as she started it." Eponine finished, her eyes staring at the rug on the floor. Eponine's lip trembled slightly and a tear rolled down her cheek. "She was a brave young lady. Extraordinary. And, Marius she loved you as a lover should, yet you did not even know that she existed," Marius stared at Eponine in disbelief, but she carried on all the same. "Her life was cold and dark, and yet she was unafraid…"

Marius grabbed hold of Eponine's quivering hand and she looked up, tears in both of their eyes. "But now she is with God and happier, I hope, than here on Earth."

Eponine gave a small smile, sniffed and turned to Javert. "Why did you bury them? I thought you hated Valjean. What concern are they to you?"

"I wanted to see him buried. I wanted to know that he was underground and gone. I leave the decision of whether he should be guilty or not to God. His daughter I buried with him because I thought about how awful it must be to be alone underground, surrounded by strangers. But none of it was for Valjean. The only sympathy I had was for his daughter, and that was not strong. And now Eponine, you can blame me for the whole of the poor, wretched girl's down bringing."

Eponine stood carefully and slowly walked towards where Javert was sat, his head down, looking at his knees. His daughter held her bump and sat down next to Javert, wrapping her free arm over his back. "You are a good man, Papa."

"Thank you, Eponine." He mumbled, taking hold of Eponine's hand. He stood and walked out of the room without another word. Eponine turned to Marius, who was still in shock from the fact that this girl had been in love with him. And he had not even known she was alive.

* * *

The next morning, Eponine woke to see the orange sun bursting through the window. She rose carefully from Marius' arms. There had been another night of Marius dreaming of his friends and he had said another's name that night.

When Eponine had heard him murmur _Cosette_ in a desperate tone, her heart sank a little. A panicked thought crossed her mind. _He couldn't be in love with Cosette, could he?_ He had not even known her before the barricades, nor even learnt anything about her when he did. Maybe he couldn't get her out of his mind, as though he felt the blood was on his hands. She walked into the middle of the room and stared at herself in the mirror, her messy ringlets, her pink lips, her strong chin. Her eyes wandered down to her bump, interfering with the flow in the cotton nightgown. She turned suddenly when Marius groaned and woke, his messy hair and freckles making Eponine want to grab him and kiss those soft lips.

"I…I think we should name the baby Cosette, if it's girl. It would be a nice-"

"No," Marius snapped, pulling himself out of bed "No. It would bring back memories." He walked over to his wife and rubbed her stomach lovingly, making up for his harshness. "We need to start afresh. Whether it is a boy or girl, they will not be a tribute to the ghosts which have been. We will eventually cower from our own child because of their name. The dead have gone, and our child will only disturb those souls from where they are. They will not be forgotten, but naming the child after the dead will only make them linger where their souls are not wanted, and are not peaceful. New life takes over the death which has been." He turned Eponine towards the illuminated window, the orange sun light blinding her vision. Marius stood behind her, his hands gentle on the bump. He kissed the top of her head before looking back to the light before whispering, "The night that ends at last."

There were no more nightmares after that.


	4. I am the Martyr, and Love is to blame

**I know this may seem short for how long you've been waiting but I've had a lot on recently. I'm sorryyyyyyy D: I really tried you guys but I wanted to fit this on each month. I wanted to set it now so the chapters go at the same time of Eponine's pregnancy. She's 7 months now (October) so you can guess when the baby is going to come *wink wink nudge* **

**Anyway enjoy and review my Lovelies!x**

* * *

"Last one." Eponine told herself, reaching out a pale hand for another macaron from the porcelain plate on the table beside her.

"You shouldn't eat so many Eponine; you'll spoil your appetite." Javert commented from the other side of the room, his face still concentrated on the papers in front of him on his desk.

"But 'er so goo'!" Eponine managed to cry from her occupied mouth, throwing her head back in frustration.

Javert looked up slightly from his paper work and called out gruffly. "And don't talk with your mouth full." Eponine's head jerked upwards suddenly and she glared at Javert. Swallowing, she made an attempt to stand, her feet apart to balance her and she pushed upwards with her hands. Moaning she slammed her laboured hands on Javert desk, forcing him to look up at the angry, tousled haired pregnant woman towering above him.

"I'm seven months pregnant; I should be able to eat what I want." She stormed away and ate another macaron before waddling out of the room and slamming the door behind her, going in search for something else that she could eat.

It had been three months since Eponine had told her father of her pregnancy and Javert had thought it best that she and Marius were to reside at his home simply for that fact that Eponine should not have to go through the strenuous task of traveling in a carriage for miles, and certainly not in the state she was in.

It had been hard for both of the households to combine. The tension between Marius and Javert was unbearable to Eponine, demanding that they kept away from each other until the baby was born, if they could help it that was. One day, Javert had peered over his newspaper as Eponine had complained about her swollen ankles. "I'll get some ointment form the apothecary." Marius smiled, gently patting her stomach before rising, grabbing his coat and as soon as the door clicked behind him, Javert folded up the paper and looked up as Eponine hissed "I wish you would stop glaring at him when I complain about something."

"I can't help but think that _he_ is the one that has caused it, Eponine." He growled. Eponine rubbed her stomach protectively.

"It takes _two_ to make a baby, Papa."

Javert sighed, stood and walked over to the door. Upon opening it, he stopped in the doorway and, without turning, mumbled "Don't remind me, Eponine. Don't remind me." The front door opened and slammed shut, making both Javert and Eponine jump. Marius stopped as he saw Javert in the doorway, their eyes meeting. Marius slipped past him and Javert heard Eponine mumble harshly and Marius closed door, looking apologetically at Javert. Javert nodded and walked away and carried on with his paperwork in his office. He had thought that maybe it had not been such a good idea to let Marius and Eponine stay here until the baby was born.

Marius, who had remained silent throughout the argument, closed his book and placed it on the table beside him. He strolled towards the bookshelf to pick another book while glancing at Javert out of the corner of his eye. He then coughed and spoke. "You shouldn't be so hard on her. She can be a pain at times but, she's carrying my child. I wouldn't dare mistreat her so."

"She's your wife, not mine." Javert said coldly, still concentrating on his work.

"And a good thing too." Marius mumbled, keeping his eyes on the leather bound books on the shelf before him. It then came into Marius' mind that he could not imagine Javert with any sort of wife. He was a little amused at the thought that Javert could be affectionate to a woman, and then Marius thought that maybe that a wife was exactly what Javert was missing. Since Eponine was a little under the weather at the moment, and Marius himself having hardly any friends around the area, it would give him a little project to amuse himself with. He then decided it upon himself that after the baby was born, Marius would organise a party at his and Eponine's manor. Since it was only natural that they should celebrate the birth of a new born healthy baby, Javert would not suspect that it was a sort of meeting in disguise. Of course, Marius had to think what an awful father he would be if he used his own child's gathering as an excuse to have his father in law achieve a little happiness. But what was a little fun for a party to do any harm?

Marius then had to consider that not a lot of middle aged women were unmarried, and if they were, they would not be willing to marry again. He knew that middle aged women were not particularly, and I must inform the reader that we are basing these facts from this young man's own experiences, neither beautiful nor handsome in any way. They tended to be solemn looking creatures that prowled around making matches for the young and then spreading gossip of the match. If not doing that they simply sat in the corner sipping tea and shaking their head at every wrong move a young person made.

No, no Javert must have a woman a little younger. Perhaps not as young as Eponine, for Javert had most recently celebrated, or rather just simply mentioned that he had just had, his fifty second birthday. A woman of about thirty would perhaps suit, but of course Marius had to take in the fact of children and of course, the usual activities of married couples which produced children. Marius let out a snort, which he disguised as a cough when Javert looked up, as he thought of his father in law in such a way.

He could not imagine the thought of Javert walking down the street with a pretty young girl, arm in arm, as she rubbed her stomach, nor could he imagine Javert walking beside her as they pushed a baby carriage down the street. He would be the laughing stock of Paris. Marius let the though into his mind of the witnesses looking upon their most feared inspector now smiling in the sunshine as he walked down the streets with a pretty child and equally pretty young wife. But even an ancient inspector must be in want of a wife, to go fifty two years without a scrap of affection from a woman who admires and loves him as a husband. Lord knows Marius enjoyed it. He would not last a week without Eponine by his side.

He looked at Javert. He was tired, he could tell, with grey bags under his cold eyes, tousled hair from running his hand through it, and a few ink marks on his worn hands. Javert was aging badly, and Marius would be the one to make him younger. A few new outfits would not completely ruin him and sleep would surely not affect him in any negative way. Marius suddenly had the urge to rip that paperwork from him.

"I had better go look for that wife of mine." Marius joked putting down the book he had chosen and walking form the room. Was he wrong to play this trick on Javert? But of course it could not lessen his chances of happiness. And if he did not find a wife, well he would have to depend on the company of the three of them, three being the baby included, until the day he died.

Marius searched until he found Eponine. She was in the bath, humming a tune that Marius recognised as the one that Eponine played often on the piano. Her head and the bump protruded from the frothy water and on some occasions she lifted her foot a little and waggled her toes in the air. Marius smiled at her fondly. This woman, this goddess that was carrying his one and only important creation in the world was…eating a piece of bread in the bath. But Marius adored her just the way she was.

"How are you now my dear?" Marius asked in a hushed tone as he knelt down on the tiled floor.

"Tired and hungry," Eponine moaned, dipping her head back into the bubbles sitting on top of the risen water. She took another bite out of the bread. "What took you so long?"

"I was conversing with your dear father." Marius smiled, brushing a few stray hairs from Eponine's face. He smirked as he saw Eponine's eyes widen.

"_You_ were talking with _my _father? Has the world turned on its head?" They laughed and Marius began to explain what he had in mind. "And does he know of this?" Marius shook his head. "Good." Eponine finished off her bread and said, mouth full "This is going to be fun."


End file.
